Knobcottage in China

All in all it was a  bit of a busy day.  Wan Yi wants to take me to his hometown and had told me last night hat he would take me today sometime after two.  At about one, he texted me and said that he could not take me because he could not get off work and his son had taken the car to Tongren.  seemed like a good enough excuse.  Meanwhile, Freya had invited me to play with her and her friends in the park.  Seemed good to me.  It was along way to the park but I decided to walk.  The mapping software was very good except that it was north up and wouldn't change.  It told me that my preferred route was no entry.  It was correct, but it didn't know that I would climb up some scaffolding and over a bridge rather than take the 3/4 mile alternative route!  This area of Jiangkou, like many other areas to be honest, was under heavy re-construction.  There were blue corrugated panel fences everywhere, and not much else!  Eventually ...

Friday was a surprise day off.  Year two were having exams and the year one and three classrooms were needed, so years one and three got the day off.  I teach year one, so I got the day off. I was due to have breakfast with my new friend Freya, but she texted me in the morning and said she was not hungry and wanted to stay in bed!  That might seem a bit rude by UK standards, but here it is quite normal.  It has been hard to get used to thus behaviour, but I am getting there!  Her plans changed, so mine must.  There was a hole in the firewall, so I decided to get rid of my blogging backlog.  I also had a few good online chats.  Then it was time for an adventure! I have not really explored that far end of town too much, and when Freya sent me some pictures of where her kindergarten was, I decided that is was time to explore further.  On my way, the local undertaker called me in for a chat.  There was a little child there too, so I blew...

Chinese children in this province always like to meet foreigners, because they don't often see them,and it is a privilege to shake hands with them and encourage them. But my little trip to Yanxi, held its own little surprise! It brings tears to my eyes when I think about it!  I mentioned in my last post that whilst the children were crowding around me that I saw one child who was holding a handful of leaves.  I mentioned that the leaves looked pretty.  It was a soft moment and a very special one too. At the end of our visit, the children crowded around us, and I was handed a lot of sweets by many children, a rose and two little letters by two girls.  It was so busy, I couldn't remember who, but I put the little letters in my pocket in order to read the m when I got home.  I am so glad I left them until then.  When I got home, I unpacked and sorted things out.  I then got showered and changed, sat down on the sofa and took out the letters. I'll call ...

This holiday has been a bit quiet compared to many.  Not so much contact with friends and Sherika just wants to stay at home.  Anyway it was dinner time (lunch)  I texted Susan and asked if she had eaten.  She had.  So I went alone.  I was passing woodshop amn's shop when it suddenly dawned on me that I could invite him.  I snook into his shop an d surprised him!  He was even more surprised when I asked him out to lunch.  Surprised and embarrassed.  He insisted that I was the guest in his country and that he should be paying!  Stalemate.  We sat down and drank tea.  Shortly afterwards two of his friends arrived then another.  The last to arrive I will call blingking.  He had the look of new money about him.  He was very interested in me. We all drunk tea for a while.  Then a conversation happened between Woodshop man and blingking.  It was about me and food.  Blinking jumped up and said "Come...

One night I went to the park and was watching the singing.  I didn't join in because the it is getting close to the 70th celebrations in China and the 30th celebrations of the 'opening up' of China.  People are getting paatriotic and the songs are getting difficult.  Pepole are really passionate about China, and there is always a queue of those who wish to show their passion and who can also sing.  I was sitting in the midst of this when a young girl sat beside me.  She had found a foreigner and she was so excited!  We talked a bit.  She kept running off to her dad who was sat nearby.  We chatted in a mix of Chinese and English but had to resort to some Google translate.  I remembered I had a euro coin in my pocket.  I gave it to her.  She smiled and refused it, I gave it to her again, she looked so excited.  She ran over to her dad.  I went to sit by them and talked to dad, again in amixture of Chinese and English and Go...

So I now try to go for a morning walk before the temperature gets too much and the humidity crushes me.  Today I decided to go to a different area of town, and went a different route.  As I crossed the main road, there were a lot of officials it was hot.  I stopped and chatted and bought them some water.  I walked off down the street.  I crossed a small road by the fruit sellers and walked down the main road.  Someone shouted 'Hello!'  I shouted back and waved.  It was four 'aunts' ...women about my age, maybe a bit younger.  I indicated that I wanted to come down to where they where and they pointed out the 'path'.  I climbed down carefully.  They were sat in a circle on those never-see-them-anywhere-but-china tiny chairs.  The brought a new chair for me.  I asked them if they were going to dance, but they said that their PA had run out of power.  We talked a little and they understood my Chinese, especially the...

I decided to go to school today to meet and talk to teh kids there.  So I walked in.  On the way I met the same boy that I had met the day before.  He was a student at one of the schools I had visited earlier.  He was ouit running. We stoped and chatted again.  I know the kids in the school that he goes to like to have aphoto with me, so I offered.  He jumped at the chance!  I  then took his mums Wechat address so I could send him the photo. I carried on into school and went to the food stret at eh back of the campus.  I was hungry so I got a big breakfast.  While one guy was serving me another waved some money at me.  I smiled. At eh end I went to pay, he shook his hand as if to say no and pointed to the woman.  I asked in Chinese (how good is that) if she had treated me and she said "Yes, we are friends!",  I said thanks and she got on and  her scooter and drove away.  I hadnt really noticed who she was!...

After a hard day of work preparing for a conference, it was time to get osme fresh air.  I went for a walk, the opposite way to usual, down teh street opposite my flat.  There were people in the street repairing long metal apex roof sectioins with firbreglass, an few broked cars gradually being stripped by a garage for parts.  The nxt part of the street had what appeard to be the usual 'aunts' dancing, with an older lady with platted blond hair.  I waved, she smiled.  I caarried on walking ans spoke to a few others.   I rounded the corner and went to the few small shops near where I work.  There was a buch of 'aunts' geting ready to do their square dancing. 'Gannnies' getting ready to dance. Instead of just walking past, I went over and talked to the woamn in green.  I asked if they were going to dance.  She asked me to join in when they started!  Meanwhile some kids joned me and started trying to talk to me.  two o...

Today I got into school early so I could walk around and chat with the kids.  It is not part of the job description (what job description) but it’s a good chance to talk informally with the kids.  They get to see you, you get to see them and it builds relationships.  As I have mentioned before, I occasionally get given presents, such as a boiled egg of some tofu, little food trinkets to add to my waistline!  Today was a bit different.  I was walking back to my office when some one called my name.  It was Linda from senior 2 she is eighteen years old.  A lovely girl who is always happy and keen to impress, she also helped me out with some class singing one day: music is her major and I often see her in the mornings with her friends in teh music room.  The kids are very open, but really innocent at the same time.  When I first arrived, a few offered to hug me.  I accepted but discussed it with my boss later.  Apparently, its norm...